Penn State senior guard John Urschel is a shining example of NCAA amateurism, a 4.0 student who already has a bachelor of science and master's degree in mathematics. He's also an All-Big Ten guard and the leader of the Nittany Lions' offensive line.

Urschel's story is familiar to this area, but no less amazing each time it's heard. The Big Ten Network will tell his story in a new light on tonight's episode of "The Journey: Big Ten Football 2013." The show airs at 7 p.m. EST.

BTN interviewed Urschel's mother, Venita Parker, and offered a rare glimpse into Urschel's childhood. That included an anecdote about how a young Urschel skirted his mother's potty-training rules and protected his Barney diapers from getting soiled.

"He outsmarted me on every level when you do the typical things for potty training," Parker said. "He always kept me on my toes, that's for sure."

The show will also feature Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan and Michigan State defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun. Naturally, the BTN crew was drawn to Happy Valley last weekend for Penn State's dramatic quadruple-overtime win over then-No. 18 Michigan.

"That was a great win, and that might be the greatest game I've ever been a part of," Urschel said after the game. "It was unreal. Saturday under the lights, Beaver Stadium, senior year of Penn State-Michigan, you can't ask for anything more."

Urschel impressed the BTN crew during the week with his personality and thoughtfulness, coordinating producer Bill Friedman said.